Abstract
In the third trimester of pregnancy, the human fetus has the capacity to process perceptual information [1-3]. With advances in 4D ultrasound technology, detailed assessment of fetal behavior [4] is now possible. Furthermore, modeling of intrauterine conditions has indicated a substantially greater luminance within the uterus than previously thought [5]. Consequently, light conveying perceptual content could be projected through the uterine wall and perceived by the fetus, dependent on how light interfaces with maternal tissue. We do know that human infants at birth show a preference to engage with atop-heavy, face-like stimulus when contrasted with all other forms of stimuli [6, 7]. However, the viability of performing such an experiment based on visual stimuli projected through the uterine wall with fetalparticipants is not currently known. We examined fetal head turns to visually presented upright and inverted face-like stimuli. Here we show that the fetus in the third trimester of pregnancy is more likely to engage with upright configural stimuli when contrasted to inverted visual stimuli, in a manner similar to results with newborn participants. The current study suggests that postnatal experience is not required for this preference. In addition, we describe a new method whereby it is possible todeliver specific visual stimuli to the fetus. This new technique provides an important new pathway for the assessment of prenatal visual perceptual capacities.
Highlights
We examined how the human fetus would respond to upright and inverted face-like stimuli in a paradigm modified from newborn research [6]
Behavioral responses to stimuli were assessed in 39 fetuses by an ultrasonographer and an experimenter, utilizing 4D ultrasound
The initial 2D scan informed the experimenter of the precise location of the fetal head prior to the presentation of the stimuli
Summary
Behavioral responses to stimuli were assessed in 39 fetuses by an ultrasonographer and an experimenter, utilizing 4D ultrasound. A set of 2D scans were taken comprising the fetal head position, maternal tissue thickness, fetal biparietal diameter, occipitofrontal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, femur length, and fetal estimated weight. Fetal biometry measurements demonstrated normal fetal growth without fetal anomalies. All participants were asked not to talk during the study and to remain as still as possible in order to optimize image quality. The initial 2D scan informed the experimenter of the precise location of the fetal head prior to the presentation of the stimuli
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